Ore concentrator



' Jan. 5, 1926. 1,568,761

W. E. MENDENHALL ORE CONCENTRATOR Filed Dec. 31, 1925 '2 Sheets-Sheet 1WITNESS s Arromutv Jan. 5 1 926.

W. E. MENDENHALL ORE CONCENTRATOR Filed Dec. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 M mum Eww T lllllhu hyvlvi ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. MENDENI-IALL, OF LAKE CITY, COLORADO. ASSIGNOR TO THE UNIONMETALS EXTRACTION COMPANY, LAKE CITY, CQLORADO, .A. CORPORATEGN OFCOLORADO.

ORE CONCENTRATOR.

Application filed December 31, 1923. Serial No. 683,806.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WALTER E. MENDEN- HALL, acitizen of the United States, residing at Lake City, in the county ofHinsdale and State of Colorado, have invented: a 'new and usefulImprovement in Ore Concentrators, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an ore concentrator by means of which metals,minerals and othenval uable materials may be rccovered from alluvialdeposits, sand, gravel, crushed ore Or the like, and a rich concentrateobtained which will justify transportation to some available point forfinal treatment and separation. I

The principal object of the invention is to provlde improved mechanismby means i of which the separation is effected without the use of Water,the separation being effected by utilizing the difference in thespecific gravity in the constituent parts of the material. This featureis of especial value in arid! regions and in other places where Water isdifiicult to obtain.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide concentratingmeans including a plurality of riflies arranged in series of banks andset at such a steep inclination that the material to be treated willbarely flow down over the riflles unaided, the riflies being providedwith transverse channels, and means provided for jarring the riflies sothat the particles having the greatest specific gravity will settle tothe bottom of the channels while the remaining portions pass on over theriffles. Each riifle may also be provided at one side with a slotextending throughout its length through which the concentrate may bedelivered.

The invention consists further in certain details of construction andcombinations of elements which will be more fully explained in thefollowingdescription taken'in connection with the accompanying drawings,in which Fig. 1 is a front elevation of the invention viewed at an angleperpendicularto the plane of the rifiles. g

Fig.2 is a central longitudinal section thereof. v

Fig. 3 is a transverse section. on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional detail view illustrat' ing the jarring means atthe upper end of the device.

Fig. 5 is a sectional detail view showing the lateral jarring means. 7

Fig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6-6 of. Fig. 2.

Fig. 7 is a detail View of one bank of rifiies.

Fig. 8 is a section taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary view showing a series of riflies of modifiedconstruction.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the riflie frame is mounted upon abase 10 and includes longitudinal side bars 11 and 12 connected at thetop and bottom by cross bars 13 and 14, respectively, between which therifile box is mounted and supported by transverse rider bars 15.

The riffle box includes a rectangular frame 16 having a plurality oflongitudinal partitions 17 between which the riifles are secured, therifiies being supported by longitudinal cleats 18 in spaced relation toa bottom 19, of suitable material such as sheet metal for receiving anddelivering the concentrate.

As clearly shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the rifHes are arranged in aseries of banks 20, 21 and 22, each bank consisting of a plurality ofriflies arranged one above the other.

The several banks are arranged side by side and each riifle is providedwith a series of transverse channels 28, the channels progressivelyincreasing in width from one bank to the next.

treated; This adjusting means may be in the form of screws, as indicatedat 24:,

screws being provided at the upper and lower ends so that theinclination maybe either increased or diminished, as necessary.

As the material flows downwardly over the riflies, the latter arejarredrap dly so that the particleshaving' the greatest spe The rifiles havingthe channels of smallest width are preferably wider than eific gravitywill gradually work their way downwardly into the channels 23. It ispreferable that the riflles be subjected to jarring both longitudinallyand laterally. The means which I have provided for offecting thispurpose includes a plurality of stems 25 extending longitudinally abovethe rifile frame and supported in a head 26, the pins being extendedthrough and guided by the upper cross bar 13. The pins 25 are preferablyprovided at their lower ends with iron shoes 27 which are urged intocontact with the upper side of the frame 16 by coiled springs 28 actingbetween the cross bar 13 and head 26. ear plates 29 are preferablyprovided in the frame 16 against which the shoes 27 engage. A shaft 80is journaled in the sides of the supporting frame and provided withtappets or cams 31 for rapidly raising and suddenly releasing the stems25 to permit the same to strike against the rifiie frame and jar it.Suitable buffers 32 of rubber or the like are provided on the foot piecell, which are designed to give a slight resistance to the jar of thestriking stems to prevent too sharp an upthrow of the material collectedin the channels 23.

Similar stems 33, arranged horizontally and supported by a head 34, areactuated in a similar manner by springs 35 and cams 36 on a shaft 37 totransmit a lateral jar to the riitle frame. The shaft-s 37 and 30 areconnected by bevel gearing 3S and driven by a drive pulley 39 or othersuitable means which may be arranged on either one of the shafts. Coiledbuffer springs 40 are preferably provided on the side of the frame 16opposite the jarring stems In the form illustrated in Figs. 1 to 8.,each of the ritlles 20, 21 and 22 is spaced at one side from theadjacent partition 18 to form a slot ll through which the concentrate isgradually discharged from the channels 23. The lower ritlles projectbeyond the upper ril'l'les as shown at 42, so that the material, as itis discharged from one of the spouts l3 will be distributed to theseveral riiiics of each bank. The ore concentrate, as it is dischargedthrough the slots 41, will drop onto the bottom 19 and be discharged atthe lower end thereof through a suit-able chute it, while the worthlessportion of the material will be discharged over the lower endsof theriftles and may be removed to a dump.

It will be understood that as many rifiics may be used as desired;depending-upon the capacity of the desired plant and upon the nature ofthe: material to be treated. In Fig. 9. l have shown a modification inwhich, in addition to the banks-of rifiles 20 21 and 22, a fourth bank45 is added in which the channels 23 are very fine. this structurebeing' particularly adaptedtor the treatment of line silt or sand. Inthis figure, the slots at the sides of the rillics have been omit ted.The operation of this form of riille will be the same as the other formexcept that the operation will be stopped at intervals, in order toremove the concentrate from the riflies. while in the form wherein theslots ll are provided. the operation may be carried on continuouslywhile the concentrate is continuously delivered by the floor l!) andchute 44-.

Any suitable means may lEQ provided for delivering the n'laterial to theseveral riflies. one form of such mechanism being shown in Fig. 1.wherein a rotatable sizing screen id is provided into which the materialis poured throi 'h a chute 47. Screens 4-8 49 and of suitable sizedmesh, may be provided for sizing the n'iaterial, as many d'iierentscreens being provided as there are rillles. The material, as it passesthrough the screens will be transferred through the several chutes 13.to the respective hanks o l' ritlies.

In the practical operation of the invention, a plant will be providedwith a suitable number of ritlies to provide the desired capacity, therill'les being of the several sizes adapted best to deal with theparticular kind of material being treated. The jarring stems ant 33 andthe springs 28 and 35. will be adjusted to deliver blows of the desiredstrength. and the inclination of the rillie frame will be adjusted bythe thumb screws so as to give the best results for the character of theore being treated.

The rili'les and the framework supporting the same may be constructed ofwood, steel or any other material which is economical. cfiicient anddurable. lVhcn properly installed and adjusted. the invention will,produce a rich concentrate by the mechanical application of the law ofgravity without the use of water.

\Vhile I have shown and described the specific details of the mechanismby means of which the principles of the invention are carried out. it isapparent that numerous modifications may be made therein so long asthere is no material departure from the salient features of theinvention.

hat is claimed is:

1.. In an orc conct-uitrator. the combination of a bank of rillles setat an inclination and having transverse channels. frames in which theriflies are mounted. the rillics being spaced from the frames at oneside to pio vide a slot. at the side of each rifiie through which theconcentrate is discharged. means for adjusting the inclination of therifiles in accordance with the material being treat-- ed so that thelatter will barely flow down the inclination unaided, and means forjarring the ritlics while the material flows over he sam arranged oneabove the other, said riftles having transverse channels in their upperfaces, means for adjusting the inclination ofthe riiiies in accordancewiththe material being treated so that the latter will barely flow downthe inclinationunaided, means for delivering material to ,all therifiles simultaneously, means for jarring the riffles while the materialflows over the same, and

frames in which the riffies are mounted, each riffle being provided witha slot at oneside thereof through which the concentrate is discharged.

:1. In an orc concentrator, the combination of an inclined framecontaining riflles, means for striking sharp blows against the end ofthe frame to jar the riflies in the direction in which the ore passesover the same, other means for striking sharp blows against the side ofthe frame to jar the riifles laterally, and means connecting both ofsaid jarring means for simultaneous operation.

(i. In an ore concentrator, the combination of a plurality of superposedframes conraining rifiles set at an inclination and having transversechannels, means for feeding material to the upper ends of said frames,means for adjusting the inclination of the frames in accordance with thematerial being treated so that the latter will barely flow down theinclination unaided, and means for striking blows longitudinally andlaterally against the frames to jar the same ,while the material flowsover them.

In an ore concentrator, an inclined frame containing a plurality ofriflles, jarring members mounted for rectilinear reciprocation in theplane of the frame, a shaft having cams operable upon rotation of theshaft to retract the jarring elements, and springs operable to advancesaid elements and cause them to strike against the frame as soon as theyare released by the cams.

6. In an ore concentrator, the combination of a frame set at aninclination and having transverse channels forming riifles, means foradjusting the inclination of the frame in accordance with the materialbeing treated so that the latter will barely flow down the inclinationunaided, and means for striking blows longitudinally and laterallyagainst the frame to ar the riflies while the material. flows over thesame.

7. In an ore concentrator, the combination of plurality of riilles setat an inclination and each having transverse channels across its upperface and a longitudinal slot through one side thereof, means foradjusting the inclination of the rifiies in accordance with the materialbeing treated so that the latter will barely flow down the inclinationunaided, means for delivering material to all the rifilessimultaneously, and means for jarring the riflles longitinlinally andtransversely while the material flows over the same.

8. In an ore concentrator, a series of banks of riflles set at aninclination and arranged side by side, the riffles of each bank beingarranged one above the other, said riflies having transversely-extendingchannels, the width of the channels increasing progressively from oneside to the other of the series, means for grading the material intodifferent sizes proportionate to the width of the channels anddelivering the same to the respective riffles, and means for jarring therifiles as the material flows over the same v 9. In an ore concentrator,a plurality of rifiies arranged in banks side by side, the rifiies ofeach bank being superposed and spaced apart, each riffle being providedwith transverse channels, the width of the channels increasingprogressively from one bank to the next, means for grading the materialinto different sizes proportionate to the width of the channels anddelivering the same to the respective rifiies, and means for jarring therifHes as the material flows over the same.

10. In an ore concentrator, a plurality of banks of superposed-fillieshaving transverse 9 channels in their upper faces, the several banksbeing arranged side by side and the width of the channels increasingprogressively from one bank of rifiles to the next, frames forsupporting the rilflesand provided with slots adjacent the riffies atone side whereby the concentrate may be continuously delivered from thechannels, means for grading the material into different sizesproportionate to the width of the channels and delivering the same tothe re spective riffles, and means for jarring the rifileslongitudinally and transversely as the material flows over the same.

11. In an ore concentrator, a plurality of inclined rifiles havingtransverse channels therein, the channels of certain of said. riffiesbeing of different width than those of certain of the other ritiles,means for separating the ore into different sizes and. delivering it tothe respective rittles according to the different sized channels, andmeans for jarring the rililes as the ore passes over the same.

12. In an ore concentrator, an inclined frame containing a riille,spring-held jarring members adapted to deliver blows to the frame, ashaft having cams operable upon rotation of the shaft to rapidly re- 7tract the arring elements against the action of the springs and tosuddenly release the same to strike against one side of the frame,yieldable buffers in constant contact with the other side of the frame,and means for rotating said shaft.

13. In an ore com-entratior, an inclined rectangular frame containing aplurality of riflies arranged side by side and having transversechannels, the channels in each riffle being of different width than thechannels in the adjacent rifiie, spring-held jarring members at the topand one side of the f 'ame adapted to deliver blows to the frame, a pairof shafts arranged at the top and one side of the frame respectively,and having cams operable upon rotation of the shafts to rapidly retractthe jarring elements against the action of the springs and to suddenlyrelease the same to strike against the frame, spring buffers in constantcontact with the opposite side of the frame, and soft cushions at thebottom of the frame against which the same rest by gravity, and meansfor rotating said shaft.

14 In an or'e concentrator, an inclined rectangular frame, spring-heldjarring members at the top and one side of the frame adapted to deliverblows to the frame, a pair of shafts arranged at the top and one side ofthe frame respectively, and having cams operable upon rotation of theshafts to rapidly retract the jarring elements against the action of thesprings and to suddenly release the same to strike against the frame,spring buffers in constant contact with the opposite side of the frame,and cushions at the bottom of the frame against which the same rest bygravity, and means for rotating said shafts.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have heretoafiixed my signaturo'.

WALTER E. MENDENHALL.

